Tory MP Nick Boles Quits Local Party Over Brexit Stance

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. lawmaker Nick Boles is resigning from his local Conservative association because of his opposing views with it on Brexit.

The Tory member of parliament, who is against leaving the European Union without a deal, will continue to act as MP for Grantham and Stamford, according to a statement on the Grantham & Stamford Conservative Association website.

“As you are all aware, Nick has been at odds with the local party and the Prime Minister for some time, so this announcement does not come as a complete surprise but the timing does leave a lot to be desired,” Councillor Martin Hill, vice president of the Grantham & Stamford Conservative Association, wrote in a letter to members Saturday.

Boles has faced calls for his deselection over his Brexit position. He voted in favor of extending Article 50, the official mechanism of Britain’s exit from the EU, and in favor of Theresa May’s separation deal. May will make a third attempt to get her withdrawal deal through Parliament next week before a Commons vote on whether to ask the EU for permission to delay Brexit beyond March 29.

To contact the reporter on this story: Suzy Waite in London at swaite8@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shelley Robinson at ssmith118@bloomberg.net, Andrew Reierson, James Amott